Last Updated on October 20, 2026 by Umar Farooq
The front entry landing size most codes ask for is simple: at least 36 inches deep in the direction you walk, at least as wide as the door, and sloped no more than 2%. Since a standard exterior door is 36 inches wide, that makes the smallest legal landing about 36 by 36 inches. That is the minimum. It is not what I would build, because the moment the door swings over a 36 inch landing, you are standing on the walkway.
This guide covers the landing at the door. For the step down from it, see our guides to building steps with pavers and front porch pavers.
What the code asks of a landing
Two city handouts I read quote the same model text, and the numbers agree. Minneapolis's exterior entry landings bulletin applies the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code, and Richfield's landings at doors page is a one-page version.
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Landing at each side of the required exterior door | Required | Minneapolis, Richfield |
| Width | Not less than the width of the door | Both |
| Depth, in the direction of travel | At least 36 inches | Both |
| Slope | No more than 2% (1/4 inch in 12) | Both |
| Drop below the threshold | No more than 1 1/2 inches | Richfield, IRC R311.3.1 |
| Exception | Up to 7 3/4 inches if the door does not swing over the landing | IRC R311.3.1 |
| Guard needed | Landing more than 30 inches above the ground below | Minneapolis |
| Handrail | Stairs with 4 or more risers (three steps and a landing count as four) | Minneapolis |
Those are model-code numbers. Your town adopts its own edition, with amendments, so call the building department. Minneapolis also says a permit is required to build, enlarge or replace an exterior landing, which surprises people doing a "quick" front stoop.
Work out front entry landing size from the door
Start at the door and work outward, not at the walkway and work inward.
- Note which way the door swings. An outswing door sweeps across the landing. An inswing door does not.
- Mark the 36 by 36 minimum, then widen it to match the walkway. Our paver walkway width guide puts a front path at 48 inches, and a landing narrower than the path it serves looks like a mistake.
- Add depth for the door leaf. Here is my own arithmetic: a 36 inch door leaf plus 36 inches to stand in front of it is 72 inches. That is a planning suggestion, not a code rule, and it is why I draw a comfortable landing at roughly 48 by 60 inches or deeper for an outswing door.
Smaller is cheaper, and a 36 by 36 inch landing is a perfectly lawful way to save a few pavers on a tight lot. But I would only do it when the door swings inward and nobody carries groceries.
Aim for the slope window, not a single number
This is the part nobody mentions. The code caps an exterior landing at 2%, about 1/4 inch per foot. ICPI's Tech Spec 2 asks for a minimum surface slope of 1.5% on pavers so water leaves. That leaves a narrow window between 1.5% and 2%, roughly 3/16 to 1/4 inch per foot (my arithmetic: 1.5% of 12 inches is 0.18 inch). On a 4 foot deep landing that is only about 3/4 to 1 inch of fall across the whole thing, and I would keep it falling away from the house.
Level looks right and holds puddles. Steep fails inspection. Our paver patio slope guide has more on the pitch.
Set the finished height from the threshold
The landing may be no more than 1 1/2 inches below the top of the threshold. For a paver landing, that means working backward: the threshold sets the top, the paver thickness and 1 inch of bedding sand come off it, and what is left is your base. If the sum gives a base thinner than ICPI's 4 inches for a pedestrian area (patios, walks), the step down moves to the walkway instead.
Steps beyond the landing run to the usual numbers: risers no more than 7 3/4 inches, treads at least 10 inches, with no more than 3/8 inch variation in a flight (IRC R311.7.5). Our guide to steps with pavers explains the build.
Footings and permits: ask before you pour
Minneapolis requires frost-depth footings for landings attached to a dwelling that has frost-depth footings, and its frost depth is 42 inches. A landing built from pavers on a compacted base is not attached the way a wooden stoop is. Whether your jurisdiction treats it as a landing that needs a footing, or as flatwork, is a question for the building department, and I could not find a source that answers it generally. Ask before you excavate, and call 811 first.
Thirty-six inches is the floor, not the plan
Build to the code minimum and you pass inspection. Build a landing as wide as your front walkway and deep enough to open the door without stepping back, and you will actually like it. If the door swings inward and the lot is tight, 36 by 36 is genuinely fine. If you are still deciding, tape out both sizes with a garden hose and open the door once.
FAQ
What is the minimum size of a landing at a front door?
Under the model residential code, at least 36 inches deep in the direction of travel and at least as wide as the door. With a 36 inch door, that is about 36 by 36 inches.
How big should a front door landing be?
For comfort, make it as wide as the walkway (often 48 inches) and 5 feet deep or more if the door swings out. That is a planning suggestion, not a code requirement.
How much slope can a front entry landing have?
No more than 2%, which is about 1/4 inch per foot. Pavers need at least 1.5% to shed water, so aim between the two.
How far below the threshold can the landing be?
No more than 1 1/2 inches at the required exit door. If the door does not swing over the landing, the model code allows up to 7 3/4 inches.
Do you need a permit for a front entry landing?
Often yes. Minneapolis requires a permit to build or replace an exterior landing. Check your local building department.
Does a paver landing need footings?
It depends on where you live and how the landing is built. Frost-depth footings are required for attached landings in Minneapolis. Ask your building department how a paver landing on a base is classified.
